GP work appraisals improve patient care

A survey of thousands of GPs reveals nine in 10 family doctors say their annual work appraisal has helped them to improve patients’ care as part of the NHS Long Term Plan.

Feedback from more than 13,000 GPs shows that an annual appraisal of the care they offer, carried out by a senior doctor, has helped them to promote safety and quality improvement, as well as boosting their own personal development, easing pressure on services and building professional skills.

GPs have found that they are able to make changes in how they care for their patients by comparing themselves against other doctors and benchmark data, as well as looking at key indicators of patients’ care – like the number of prescriptions written, new cancer cases identified and vaccines delivered.

In total, 91 per cent of GPs said their appraisal was useful for promoting quality improvement in their work; 88 per cent said the appraisal is useful for improving patient care; while 89 per cent reported it was useful for both personal and professional development.

Nikita Kanani, NHS England and Improvement Interim Medical Director for Primary Care, and a London GP, said: “GP appraisals work well for the majority of doctors surveyed which is good news for GPs, and for our patients, whose care and treatment will be improved as we deliver our Long Term Plan.

“Helping GPs adjust and improve the support they give, is crucial for patient care and for doctors’ professional development, which is why we’ve worked with GPs to improve the appraisal process, and these latest results show we clearly are moving in the right direction, working with partners to reduce additional burden, with many doctors getting great value from it.”

Positive feedback from doctors included: “Without appraiser support, I would not have continued working” and “I am refreshed and ready for the next 12 months and inspired for ongoing career development.”